“In a way, it had a sort of 1990s Winona Ryder feel to it”: Lucia Pica on Chanel Beauty SS21

Inspired by the Chanel collection’s nod to cinema (note the set’s giant logo in the style of the Hollywood sign), for global creative makeup and colour director, Lucia Pica, this season was all about starlet glamour, but with a fresh, contemporary twist. Instead of the stereotypical Hollywood glow, Pica—who has been with the brand since 2015 and is celebrated for her innovative approach to colour and texture—offered a modern, matte update, while the eyes were a bold, yet clean, smoky grey.

Fresh from this morning’s show, Vogue caught up with the makeup maverick to find out more about her beauty inspiration, why a statement eye is the new bold lip (now that masks are the new normal), and her love of monochromatic makeup.

What was your vision for Chanel Beauty SS21?

“For Virginie [Viard, creative director of Chanel], it was all about a cinematic woman, so we wanted the girls to look exquisite. The makeup ended up being masculine-feminine. There was a minimalistic feeling, but there was also quite a glamorous touch to it. The girls looked done, finished, pristine and matte. The idea of ‘matte all over’ gave them an almost untouchable, starlet feel.”

It was nice to see such an emphasis on the eyes—it felt poignant as well. As masks are the new normal, eyes have become the site of creative expression; something to accentuate.

“Yes, it’s true. We have to think about our eyes now that we use them a lot more to express our feelings. You can’t see when we’re smiling at each other, so emphasising the eyes will help. I’m finding myself using more mascara and more eyeshadow.

“Going back to the show, the look was quite strong, but it felt fresh at the same time. I concentrated the smoky grey-black only on the top—underneath, it was very clean and fresh. In a way, it had a sort of 1990s Winona Ryder feel to it.”

Has mask-wearing changed your approach to lipstick?

“I have to admit that I still wear lipstick under my mask. I do that for myself. It makes me feel more finished, more done and I love the feeling of it. I’m using things that perhaps last a little bit longer and that don’t [smudge].”

What recent beauty trends have inspired you?

“I’m into the monochromatic look, where you do the same thing on the eyes as the lips—which is what we did for the AW20 collection, with pink and burgundy selections for both eyes and lips. And using [shades] to bring out the natural colour of the eyes.

“I don’t necessarily think that we need to put on heavy makeup now, just because our eyes are showing more—you can still announce the eyes and bring them out with transparent textures. Even the matte eyeshadows that I’ve been working on are very matte, very beautiful and don’t look heavy or old fashioned. I don’t think we should forget that, we still want to look like ourselves, even behind the mask.”

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